Why I always build in a ‘travel buffer’ – especially now EES delays are in full swing

As I prepare for my flight to Tirana this weekend, I’m reminded of the importance of a travel ‘buffer’.

Regular Travel Insider readers will remember that a few weeks back, when I last flew to the Albanian capital, I missed my flight following a perfect storm of train cancellations and road traffic. Although this was frustrating – not to mention expensive – I’d made sure I’d booked a flight to arrive more than 24 hours before I actually needed to be in the city.

So after I’d finished smarting from the financial hit of the missed flight, I was able to book another, and the trip was salvageable (if a little more rushed than I would have liked).

This week, amid more “will they-won’t they” conversations about the suspension of the EU entry-exit system following long border queues, it occurred to me that I now subconsciously build in a buffer whenever I travel.

Gone are the days when I’d carefully time my arrival with just enough breathing room to scoot across town and catch a train, or land a few hours before I was due in the office. Nowadays, I like to ensure I have a full day (or at the very least a good few hours) between touching down and my next commitment. I avoid connecting flights where possible, and if I do need to change planes, I give myself a comfortable three-hour window, rather than the 90 minutes that used to suffice for my peace of mind.

And rather than bemoan this, I try to enjoy it. Last May, I allowed myself 12 hours between landing late morning at Venice Marco Polo airport and reaching my train, which departed in the evening from Venezia Santa Lucia – fortunate, since there was a rather tedious queue at the border, with the entry-exit system not running as smoothly as it could. Once through, I still had six hours or so to explore Venice (just enough time to leisurely wander across the Ponte dell’Accademia and enjoy a Hugo spritz by the Grand Canal), before hopping on a train to Rome.

Of course, a buffer is a luxury. Paying for an extra night here or there can easily add up, and many of us have work, childcare or other commitments that mean travel needs to fit into carefully allocated time slots. And when we’re travelling for holidays, the buffer is often part of our own well-earned time off. I was painfully aware of this when my British Airways flight was cancelled last October due to a “strange smell” on board, and I missed a night of my holiday in Italy. With gritted teeth, I traipsed home from London Heathrow and back again the following morning, just when I should have been waking up to a cappuccino in the Tuscan hills. I had to remind myself that this is the price we pay to travel: sometimes, unfortunately, things go wrong.

The summer of travel is still on. Prices are down, the Middle East is back (at time of writing, anyway), and there’s still a chance the EU will agree to suspend the entry-exit system (we can but hope). But my advice for anyone yet to plan their holiday would be: travel with a buffer – and a sense of humour.

Get the Travel Insider newsletter

Travel Insider is The Independent’s twice-weekly travel newsletter, packed with insight, inspiration and trusted advice to help you explore better.

It is your guide to planning smarter journeys: from finding the best low-impact ways to get around to choosing destinations that benefit local communities.

Each Friday and Sunday, you’ll receive a curated digest of the biggest developments in travel, along with unbeatable deals, destination ideas, and expert tips on where, when and how to go.

To sign up, simply enter your email address in the box at the top of this article.

You can also head to our newsletter preference centre to sign up for the email.